This query really comes about through the previous Weatherby thread and how cartridges can be made nice and shiny with drills and steel wool.
Nothing creates more horror for me than an "old" cartridge that shines like a "new" cartridge. I am not saying its wrong , just that I prefer my cartridges to have that nice aged patina ( not to be confused with the green crud that grows on neglected ones ), and consider that highly polished or lacquered specimens have been devalued by that treatment .
Am I alone in this opinion ? What do others think about this ?

I agree with you. All the advice I have received from experienced collectors is not to clean the patina off old ammo - you will devalue it.

Tony Williams
Military gun and ammunition website: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk
Military gun and ammunition discussion forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/autogun/messages/

I am in total agreement. I would NEVER do that to my Kynoch .600 Nitro with its patina caused by a leather cartridge loop that tells you that it didn't just sit in a box for years; or the Kynoch 450 #2 (both 1930's vintage) or other old original valuable collectable cartridges but to modern stuff (30x350, 280 Ackely, 338-06 Ackely etc.)polishing them up does no harm.

[ 09-19-2002, 19:55: Message edited by: Bear Claw ]

So , after you have have cleaned the cartridge do you lacquer it or just let it slowly re-develop the original patination ? Most of the polished cases I have seen get quite blotchy after a while , mostley from finger sweat and oily residues - which then makes em look really awfull . I like the natural unaltered look , and so it seems do most other collectors . A study of online auctions shows how much less value is placed on super cleaned or lacquered cartridges , irrespective of their rarity.
But , hey , if you like em polished , go right ahead , I'll defend your right to do that , I just won't do it to mine.....

In my limited experience, the cleaned rounds sell just about as well as those that are not - there are definitely two mindsets in the collecting community on this subject. I don't like to see a cartridge from 1870 which looks like it came from the factory yesterday, but I have cleaned a few (not, perish the thought, with steel wool!!!) when there was a corrosion issue. I'd rather have it cleaned than dead, especially when it is something really exotic.